Feed mixer



Aug. 20; 1929. M. AGEE 1,525,240;-

. FEED MIXER Filed- Oct. 8, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 20,- 1929 M EE 1,725,240

FEED MIXER Filed Oct. 8, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 2.

v 1. 3391 pm? Aug. 20, 1929 G G 1,725,240

FEED MIXER Fil ed Oct. 8, 1927 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 20, 19 29.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- GEORGE M. AGEE, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

FEED MIXER.

Application filed October 8, 1927. Serial No. 224,969.

or other sugar content, under the belief that better results are secured. The methods and apparatus which contemplate mixing heated molasses with grains are expensive to install and to operate, and, furthermore, it has been found that under some conditions, the result- 'ing product is not entirely satisfactory, be-

cause of the danger of fermentation of the heated molasses, with consequent deleterious effect on the stock feed.

The preliminary heating of the molasses has been generally regarded as necessary to facilitate the mixing of the grain and the molasses, no eflicient and commercially workable method and apparatus having been developed for handling the molasses cold or at normal atmospheric temperature.

The present apparatus is designed to efficiently handle and satisfactorily mix feed with molasses at normal atmospheric temper atures, and to give a product which is uniformly mixed, and which will be of uniform character throughout, without any balling up of the product and formation of relatively large cakes or fragments, by reason of the introduction of the molasses into the feed, an undesirable result which has been encountered in the practice of methods and the use of apparatus now known to me. I accomplish the object aimed at by delivering the feed to a suitable receptacle, to which receptacle is also delivered, at normal temperatures, the molasses, or equivalent sweetening content, in a solid column or body, without any initial dispersion, and by subjecting the two materials within the receptacle to a violent agitation, specifically,

to a centrifugal agitation, which maintains substantially the bulk of the grain content in suspension within the resceptacle, and, furthermore, and which is of very considerable importance, completely breaks up and disperses the solid column of molassesimmediately it enters the receptacle, and seatters it, in completely dispersed form,

throughout the body of grain, which, under violent agitation, is held substantially in suspension in said receptacle.

The process and apparatus have the advantages of being cheaper to install and operate; there is no fermentation of the molasses; the product, as it comes from the apparatus, is substantially dry, and does not have the objectionable sticky quality Which is found where heated molasses is used; and

since the molasses is-in its normal condition, and is not thinned out by heat, a greater percentage of molasses is applied to the feed. In order that the invention Ina be clear to those skilled in the art, I have s own in the accompanyingdrawings one physical embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and in no sense restrictive, as the apparatus may be worked out in different mechanical ways, without departing from my invention.

In the drawings, which will be referred to in the following specification:

Fig. l is a view of the apparatus, showing generally its arrangement.

Fig. 2 is a view, at right angles to Fig. 1, of the apparatus.

Fig.3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the mixing receptacle.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View of the receptacle shown in Fig. 3, showing the inlet for the grain and the. inlet for the molasses.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the receptacle shown in Fig. 3, showing the outlet for the product after treatment.

Fig. 6 is a detail of the by-pass and its control gate. I v

Referring to the drawings by numbers,-

like numbers indicating like parts in the several views, 10 designates the mixing receptacle, which is preferably round in cross section, and may be of any suitable size in cross section and length. The receptacle 10 is closed, except for the inlet and outlet, so that material fed into it will be confined within the receptacle during treatment. The feed or grain to be treated is fed to the receptacle through the inlet 11, and, preferably, this inlet is tangentially arranged, as shown, in order to insure and maintain proper feeding of the grain to the receptacle. As here shown, the apparatus is so disposed as that the grain spout '12 from the mill or storage bin, delivers directly to the inlet, although it is obvious that any ,other suitable feed to the inlet hopper may be provided.

At any suitable point in the receptacle, but, preferably, as here shown, at the bottom of-the I receptacle, is provided an inlet pipe 13 for the molasses, and this inlet pipe is preferably extended into the receptacle a cially used for shipping molasses- The m0- lasses in the container will be under pressure coming from a pressure pipe 15 connected with any suitable source of pressure, which pipe 15 delivers, by suitable connections 16, to the container and, underpressure, the molasses passes by pipe 17 to the pipe 13, leading to the receptacle 10; Suitable pressure gages for controlling pressure from the pipe 15, and suitable percentage,

' and volume controls, metering devices, and indicators are provided, but as these form no part of the present disclosure, but are independent thereof, no detailed illustration or description is necessary. Under the pressure system described, the molasses will be forced through the pipe 13 to the receptacle 10, and delivered ina solid unbrokenstre'am through the end of the pipe which projects into the receptacle. Y

Within the receptacle 10 is mounted a shaft 18, preferably centrally disposed, and

provided'with suitable bearings, it having een found that under the arrangement herein disclosed,-a bearing 19 at the tail end of the shaft is sufficient, the head end of the .shaft being coupled by suitable coupling 20 directly to the shaft of the motor M, which may be of any suitable or desired type, but,

preferably, is an electric. motor. The shaft 18 is provided along its length within the receptacle 10 with radially disposed arms 21, the preferable arrangement being a spiral disposition of the arms about the shaft,and

I have found that an angular relation of 120 between the radial arms is a satisfactory one. different lengths, depending on the size of the receptacle, and they should be spaced apart longitudinally of the shaft, approximately one-third oftheir lengths. It has been found that when spaced at approximately this distance, good results are secured. Too close a setting of the arms relative to one another would tend to develop.

a continuous spiral, and this would give in- ShfilClQIll) agitation. Too wide a spacing of the arms from one another would also result in insufiicient agitation, as wide spac-' The arms will, of course, be of which agitation would be cut downto the I point of inefliciency. It will be understood,

arms with respect to the shaft and one another, may be made, but the present, plan gives a satisfactory result. q

The shaft 18, with its radial arms 21, is driven, as stated, from the motor M, at relatively high speed, and while the speeds may ing more particularly in the form of-centrifugal agitation, tending to create a vortex centrally of thereceptacle, and tending also to maintain the grain content in a constant state of agitation and suspension in the receptacle 10. The ends of the arms 21 should be spaced a reasonable distance from the wall of the receptacle 10, and should not be extended too close to the wall, it'having been found that in an apparatus having a receptacle of approximately seventeen inch diameter, there should be a clearance of approximately two inches between the ends of the arms 21 and the wall of the receptacle 10. It will-be understood, of course, that in diiferent sizes of machines, where the diameter of the receptacle is moreor less than the example here given, the clearance between the ends of the" arms 21 and the wall of the receptacle 10. might.be varied, it being desirable always, however, .that there be a considerable clearance for efficient results. As the arms 21 are rotated by the shaft 18, the bulk of grain is maintained in agitation and suspension, as stated, a

small part of it,as the process proceeds,

lying against the wall of the receptacle in the riflled condition indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. This'riffled condition, indicated by the dotted lines, becomes a fixed condition after the machine has been put into operation. The feed and the molasses will build up, on the wall of the receptacle between the arms, so as to produce the alternating ribs and grooves and provide the rifiled form indicated, and it has been found that the-apparatus,-after this rifiled condition has been established, is highly efficient.

This formation on the inner wall of the drum, which, asstated, becomes a permanent condition as soon as the. apparatus is put into operation, is of very'considerable value, and adds to the efiiciency of the apparatus. Furthermore, by getting this de-.

of course, that other arrangements of the a smooth interior, and I avoid the necessity of providing the interior of the cylinder or receptacle with preformed corrugations ,which the machine the wall. It'has been found, in the use of the apparatus, that after this corrugated formation is produced, and the machine has been in use for a short period, the lining becomes set, hardened, and smooth, so that it then becomes a part of the interior formation and make-up of the cylinder or receptacle. 1

As has been heretofore stated, the molasses is delivered from the pipe 13'int0 the receptacle 10 in a solid unbroken column, the

compression from the apparatus designed to force the molasses into the receptacle 10 being suflicient merely to deliver, in a steady stream, the molasses, but without any spraying effect. The pipe 13 is of relatively large size, and, in fact, is oversize for the volume to be delivered, in order that the molasses may be fed through, even at low temperatures, without the neceessity of any extreme compression. The molasses, as stated, is delivered at nomal atmospheric temperature, that is, preliminary heating.

In fact, I have found that molasses kept at a temperature of substantially which can be maintained if.

the molasses be-storedin underground tanks .or vats, gives very satisfactory results, and a product is obtained which issuperior. As the unbroken column passes from the pipe 13 into the receptacle 10, it is at once subjected to the agitation within the receptacle, and by reason of the centrifugal action of the arms 21 and the vortex created centrally of the receptacle by these rapidly revolving arms, the solid column of molasses is instantly broken up and dispersed throughout the agitating area, where it combines, while in suspension, with the suspended .feed in a thorough and uniform manner, it having been found that a very complete and intimate mixture results from following this method and using an apparatus designed to carry out the method. The intimate mixing of the feed and molasses is facilitated by the frictional heat generated by the passage of the mixture over the corrugated surface referred to. This, it will be noted, maintains both the feed and molasses at a uniform temperature.

The method is a continuous one, in that the feed and "the molasses 'are being continuously introduced into the receptacle 10, and the finished product is continuously passing out from the outlet 22 at the tail end of the receptacle 10. The outlet 22 is preferably tangentially disposed in a manner similar to that of the inlet 11, it having been found that under the high speeds at is operated, a tangential feed and a tangential delivery is preferable outlet openings,"for the and outlet there is a tendency at the inlet end-to force the feed back, rather than to to the grain spout larly 1n custom mills,

cold, and without any.

draw it into the receptacle, and at the outlet end there is a tendency to sweep the finished product past a radial outlet, whereas with the tangential inlet and outlet, the feed and readily leave grain may come through the grain spout 12- directly from the mill or any suitable storproduct delivered from the receptacle age bin. When the apparatus is coupled up inthis fashion, particuit may be desirable to provide means by which grain may be delivered without passing it through'the apparatus described.

In other words, a customer might not wish to have a certain batch of grain or feed subjected to the molasses treatment, or might wish to have a. portion only of a batch treated. In order that this condition may be met, I have provided a construction whereby feedmay be by-passed from the mill or storage bin around the apparatus and delivered directly to the delivery end and passed to the conveyor spout 24, to be delivered to the truck 25 or any other suitable receptacle or point of delivery, it being understood that under these conditions of by-passing the material, the motor and the mixing apparatus would be atrest.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6, I have illustrated this by-pass arrangement in detail. As shown in Fig. 4, the inlet 11 is provided with a gate 26 which can be turned to the full line position shown,

or the dotted line position the feed will pass to the receptacle 10 for treatment, but if it is not desired to subject the feed to treatment, the gate 26 will be turned to dotted line position and the feed will then enter the clined, as shown, to the outlet 22 conveyor 24.

This gives a very simple and efficient control of the material, and one which enables it to be directed either to the molasses applying instrumentalities, or to be carried around the mixing receptacle and delivered in its original milled condition.

Any desired means for controlling the gate 26 may be provided, but I have here shown the gate 26 as mounted on a shaft suitably journalled in the walls of the inlet, and the end of this shaft is providedwith a lever arm 28 to which is attached draft ropes or chains 29 depending, asshown, on opposite sides, so that by pulling on one or the other" of the draft devices 29, the gate by-pass 27, which is inone of the draft devices passes over a small pulley or sheave 30, and is attached to the lever or crank arm 28', while the other draft device is attached directly to the arm.

In the operation of the apparatus, it has been found that the material under treatment gradually works from the inlet end toward the outlet end, this being due to the spiral disposition of the arms'about the shaft. which tends to create a movement toward the delivery end of the receptacle, where, as will be obvious, there is less resistance than at the inlet end, for the inflowing grain or feed at the inlet end of the receptacle 10 offers more resistance to the flow than the relatively unobstructed outlet end. Furthermore, the air current will flow from inlet to outlet and agitate and help to carry the material toward the outlet end.

By the practice described and the apparatus designed to carry it out, I am able to produce, aith any form of grains, either whole grain or grain which has been milled, and cold molasses, a very superior and uniformly mixed sugar feed, andone which has the light, dry, flocculent condition which is highly desirable. Furthermore, the sugar or molasses content is increased, and danger of fermentation of the final product, which sometimes results where the molasses is heated, is entirely eliminated.

It will be understood that while I have disclosed a particular method and apparatus for carrying out that method, that such variations in method and such changes in apparatus as do not depart from the scope of the invention as stated in the appended claims, may be made, and still be within the range ofv my invention. It will be understood, further, that while the method and apparatus is shown as a feed mixer, it may be adapted to and usedwith other combinations of granular and liquid materials which it is desirable to mix in a complete and satisfactory way.

No claim is herein made to the novel features of the method described in the foregoing specification as the same forms the subject matter of a divisional application Serial No. 287 ,534.

I. claim p 1'.v In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a closed receptacle having a tangential inlet for feed and a tangential outlet for the completed product,-a pipe to deliver an unbroken stream of the liquid content to said receptacle, means for delivering the liquid content under pressure to said;

pipe, and a rotary shaft having a plurality of radial arms spirally disposed on said shaft within the receptacle to agitate the feed and disperse and commingle with the feed the liquid content delivered by said P P 2. A mixing drum having alternate circumferential ribs and grooves of granular material deposited on its inner surface;

3. A mixing drum having alternate circumferential ribs and grooves of adherent granular materialdeposited on its inner surface.

4. A mixing drum having alternate circumferential ribs and grooves of granular material mixed with a binder deposited on its inner surface.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a mixing receptacle having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, a by-pass leading from the inlet to the'outlet', a gate in said inlet, andmeans for moving said gate to direct material passing through the inlet to the receptacle or to the by-pass.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a mixing receptacle having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, a by-pass connected with said inlet and delivering to the inlet and delivering to the outlet, agate centrally disposed in said inlet, and means for moving said gate to deliver material to the mixing receptacle or to the by-pass.

7 Ina-n apparatus'of the class described, the combination of a mixing receptacle, an inlet spoutdelivering to said receptacle over a portion of its area, a by-pas's to which a lasses and moving the mixture toward the I outlet, and supplemental means in 'the receptacle for retarding movement of the mixture toward the outlet and in cooperation with the stirring means imparting frictional heat to the mixture.

9. In an'apparatus forthe purpose described, the combination of a closed receptacle having an inlet for grain and an outlet for the completed product, means for delivering molassesat normal temperature to the v receptacle, and stirring means in the receptacle adapted to initially cause commingled particles of grain and molasses to form a transversely curved, longitudinally corrugated, surface extending'to the outlet and to subsequently effect movement of the comoutlet, su

mingled, articles over said surface to the described.

10. In an apparatus for the purpose 'described, the combination of a closed receptacle having an inlet for grain and an outletfor the completed productymeans .for delivering molasses at normal temperature to the feed for live posite ends of receptacle through an opening in the bottom, and a rotary shaft provided with stirring arms adapted, as the shaft rotates, to commingle particles of grain and molasses to ini-' tially form a' corrugated surface extending to the outlet of the'receptacle and to subse sweetened liquid Iunder pressure, and means "in the receptacle to agitate the feed therein and commingle said liquid therewith. 12. An apparatus for preparing feed for live stock,

at one end with a feed inlet and in its bottom ing provided at the other end of the receptaole, and means in the receptacle to agitate the feed therein and commingle it with the liqstantially as and for the purpose live stock,

mixture and said sur' product, located adjacent op-' comprising a receptacle provided ad'acen't the same end with an inlet for liq d, an outlet for the completed product beuid whilefeeding the mixtures tothe outlet 13. An apparatus' for preparing feed for comprising" a closed receptacle having its side walls provided near its ends, respectively, with a feed inlet and an outlet for the finished product, means for delivering liquid under end thereof adjacent the .feed inlet, and

pressure through an opening in the bottom of the receptacle near the means in the receptacleto agitate the feed therein and commingle it with the liquid while feeding the mixture to the outlet.

14. An apparatus for-preparing feed for live stock, comprising-a closed receptacle.

having at one end .a feed inlet and at its opposite end anoutlet' for the finished product,

- a pipe for supplying liquid through the bottom of the receptacle adjacent the inlet end thereof, saidpipep'ro'ectin into the receptacle above the inner ace of the bottom, and means.i'n the receptacle to agitate the feed therein and commingle it with the liquid while feeding the mixture to the outlet.

'15. An apparatus for pre aring feed for live stock comprising a closed receptacle provided adjacent one end with feed andliquid inlets, whereby liquid is introduced into the v receptacle in a direction substantially opposite that in which feed is introduced, the receptacle having therein and commingle it with the liquid' while feeding the mixture to the outlet.

an outlet for the finished I product adjacent its opposite end, and- -means in the receptacle to agitate the'feed '70 In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE AGEE. 

